“Legalize It? A majority of Christians say no to recreational pot,” reports the Barna Group, an independent research organization that also polled opinions on the moral aspect of weed, its legalization and the burgeoning new lifestyle that is emerging in some states where laws have been relaxed.

“In contrast to the widening cultural mainstream, most practicing Christians oppose legalization. Even mainline Protestants, who often trend more liberal on social issues than their Catholic and non-mainline brethren, are less likely (45 percent) than the national average to say pot should be legal in the U.S.” the Barna poll reports.

“Non-mainline Protestants (32 percent) and Catholics (39 percent) are far less likely to favor legalization than the general American population.”

Having grown up with a family that smoked Green Crack
I have been mentally and emotionally traumatized by users, and would not think twice about using violence on someone who brings it on my property. I feel that Green Crack head smokers are my enemy and I must separate myself from them by all means necessary

I actually thing legalization of pot is a good idea, and that all “illicit” drugs should be decriminalized. This country (USA) is taking the wrong approach to substance abuse problems. People who are addicted need treatment not jail time.

It has been proven in countries like Denmark, Switzerland and other European nations that decriminalizing these drugs lowers violent crime rates significantly. It has also been shown that use rates stay steady. (The usual rate of drug use is around 3% whether or not they are legal or illegal. So making them illegal does not decrease use, it simply makes them safer and cheaper to obtain.)

I would never use these drugs, but I think we need to stop spending millions, if not billions of dollars in a war against them, and look more effectively into their possible benefits and why people are using them. Many times people are trying to self medicate for depression, bi-polar disorders, anxiety and other mental health issues. We need to improve our mental health care in this country and one way to do that just might be having a way to track who is using these drugs and why.

Making them illegal and spending billions on the “War on Drugs” has accomplished nothing in over 30 years, I don’t know why anyone thinks that will change things now.

I actually thing legalization of pot is a good idea, and that all “illicit” drugs should be decriminalized. This country (USA) is taking the wrong approach to substance abuse problems. People who are addicted need treatment not jail time.

It has been proven in countries like Denmark, Switzerland and other European nations that decriminalizing these drugs lowers violent crime rates significantly. It has also been shown that use rates stay steady. (The usual rate of drug use is around 3% whether or not they are legal or illegal. So making them illegal does not decrease use, it simply makes them safer and cheaper to obtain.)

I would never use these drugs, but I think we need to stop spending millions, if not billions of dollars in a war against them, and look more effectively into their possible benefits and why people are using them. Many times people are trying to self medicate for depression, bi-polar disorders, anxiety and other mental health issues. We need to improve our mental health care in this country and one way to do that just might be having a way to track who is using these drugs and why.

Making them illegal and spending billions on the “War on Drugs” has accomplished nothing in over 30 years, I don’t know why anyone thinks that will change things now.

I would be OK if the government removed most (but not ALL) legal ramifications of illicit drug use provided there are new programs in education and medicine for treatment of addicts, information on adverse health effects, etc. In my state (MD) we just passed a decriminalization bill but not include measures to also support a public information campaign as the state Democrats say it is common sense not to use drugs. Well, given that I hear people trying to preach to me the health benefits of the use of street drugs, I’m not sure I buy that last part.

Having grown up with a family that smoked Green Crack
I have been mentally and emotionally traumatized by users, and would not think twice about using violence on someone who brings it on my property. I feel that Green Crack head smokers are my enemy and I must separate myself from them by all means necessary

SxE for life.

This person speaks from experience. So, if it’s legal, does that mean that parents will be subjecting their children and neighbors to it, all legal?

If you have a neighbor who is smoking and their friends and family, how will you register a complaint? They are breaking no laws, but what if you don’t want to come up positive on drug test at work and lose your job because of that?

Marijuana is a drug. Is it being dispensed by physicians to avoid reactions with other medications?

I remember in Mexico, they thought if they just legalized prostitution and down to graffiti in certain areas that it would do away with that problem and the mafia. Indeed, prostitution thrived in these legal areas, but it did nothing to stop prostitution outside of these areas.

Not only did legalizing prostitution not decrease prostitution. It seemed to make it worse. Now, it’s in those legal areas and all over the place, and incidentally, the mafia is alive and well, thriving.

With the legalization of graffiti, it happened in those areas and everywhere else, too. Well, it’s because people who tend to do graffiti and prostitution aren’t typically your law abiding citizens. They often don’t care what the law is. I believe the same will hold true with marijuana.

I predict that as marijuana goes legal in more and more places that there will be a lot of problems, spinoffs and consequences that nobody ever thought of, but should have before beginning.

When we finish with this experiment of legalization of what we want to try to do away with, and it fails, how will we ever reverse it?

On paper, it sounds good to legalize everything we want to decrease, but my experience is that it usually isn’t quite that simple.

All drugs should be decriminalized. Drug criminalization does more harm than good. It is simply immoral for the government to impose harsh costs on innocent third parties to keep people form harming themselves.

I actually thing legalization of pot is a good idea, and that all “illicit” drugs should be decriminalized. This country (USA) is taking the wrong approach to substance abuse problems. People who are addicted need treatment not jail time.

It has been proven in countries like Denmark, Switzerland and other European nations that decriminalizing these drugs lowers violent crime rates significantly. It has also been shown that use rates stay steady. (The usual rate of drug use is around 3% whether or not they are legal or illegal. So making them illegal does not decrease use, it simply makes them safer and cheaper to obtain.)

I would never use these drugs, but I think we need to stop spending millions, if not billions of dollars in a war against them, and look more effectively into their possible benefits and why people are using them. Many times people are trying to self medicate for depression, bi-polar disorders, anxiety and other mental health issues. We need to improve our mental health care in this country and one way to do that just might be having a way to track who is using these drugs and why.

Making them illegal and spending billions on the “War on Drugs” has accomplished nothing in over 30 years, I don’t know why anyone thinks that will change things now.

There are conflicting reports about the impact of drug decriminalisation in various European countries. For Portugal for example, I can find a study that says that says it has negative impact, and you can find another study that finds the opposite.

Popoe Francis has spoken out against drug liberalisation in Latin America when he went to Brazil last year.

I will join the other two here. De-criminalization, but not legalizing, although I could go either way on the latter. We need to completely change our approach. We have tried for decades to fight drug abuse with imprisonment and this War on Drugs is an abject failure.

As for the rest of the population, is it possible to enjoy it without getting high or jeopardizing judgment? Or is it just like smoking a cigarette at that point? If so, what’s the point of legalization? I’ve never used it, so I don’t know.

Recreational use is not going to help an already depressed population, but fuel it. I agree that we need another approach, but as to why people use these drugs, deeper treatment and evangelization is the answer, not permissiveness. It reminds me a bit of the Roman “bread and circuses.” This is just a symptom. I’m not optimistic that recreational legalization is going to help prepare our nation’s future citizens for dealing with global problems and threats. However, we are where we are.

I actually thing legalization of pot is a good idea, and that all “illicit” drugs should be decriminalized. This country (USA) is taking the wrong approach to substance abuse problems. People who are addicted need treatment not jail time.

It has been proven in countries like Denmark, Switzerland and other European nations that decriminalizing these drugs lowers violent crime rates significantly. It has also been shown that use rates stay steady. (The usual rate of drug use is around 3% whether or not they are legal or illegal. So making them illegal does not decrease use, it simply makes them safer and cheaper to obtain.)

I would never use these drugs, but I think we need to stop spending millions, if not billions of dollars in a war against them, and look more effectively into their possible benefits and why people are using them. Many times people are trying to self medicate for depression, bi-polar disorders, anxiety and other mental health issues. We need to improve our mental health care in this country and one way to do that just might be having a way to track who is using these drugs and why.

Making them illegal and spending billions on the “War on Drugs” has accomplished nothing in over 30 years, I don’t know why anyone thinks that will change things now.

I agree with you 80%? Lol. I am not sure that decriminalizing drugs that tend to result in violent behavior is a good idea (like bath salts). Otherwise, I think that if you aren’t hurting anyone else, it should be legal. Especially marijuana, because for the most part, when used in moderation, you aren’t really even hurting yourself. Another important point is the vast racial disparity in enforcement/incarceration.

As for the rest of the population, is it possible to enjoy it without getting high or jeopardizing judgment? Or is it just like smoking a cigarette at that point? If so, what’s the point of legalization? I’ve never used it, so I don’t know.

Recreational use is not going to help an already depressed population, but fuel it. I agree that we need another approach, but as to why people use these drugs, deeper treatment and evangelization is the answer, not permissiveness. It reminds me a bit of the Roman “bread and circuses.” This is just a symptom. I’m not optimistic that recreational legalization is going to help prepare our nation’s future citizens for dealing with global problems and threats. However, we are where we are.

If a substance getting you high or jeapordizing judgement is a reason to criminalize something, then we need to get rid of alcohol. Recreational use of marijuana doesn’t mean someone is depressed, and isn’t really a symptom of anything. Most people who use pot recreationally (aka most people younger than 60 and many over that age) are doing it for… recreation… just like most people you see in the bar on a weekend. I’m not saying that there aren’t those who are trying to self treat or run away from problems… but honestly, I’ve seen those people in bars as well.

If a substance getting you high or jeapordizing judgement is a reason to criminalize something, then we need to get rid of alcohol. Recreational use of marijuana doesn’t mean someone is depressed, and isn’t really a symptom of anything. Most people who use pot recreationally (aka most people younger than 60 and many over that age) are doing it for… recreation… just like most people you see in the bar on a weekend. I’m not saying that there aren’t those who are trying to self treat or run away from problems… but honestly, I’ve seen those people in bars as well.

Also, when people “evangelize” to me, it makes me WANT to smoke pot.

My experience with pot smokers has been otherwise.

I’m sorry you feel that way, as to your latter point. Since you’re open to legalization, maybe you should be more open-minded.

I worry about second-hand smoke, like in cigarettes, especially with children. If/when it’s legalized it will be in places with children. I live in a state where it has been legalized and that’s already been a problem for my grandchildren.

As for the rest of the population, is it possible to enjoy it without getting high or jeopardizing judgment? Or is it just like smoking a cigarette at that point? If so, what’s the point of legalization? I’ve never used it, so I don’t know.

I know plenty of people who smoke pot. I don’t recall ever meeting anyone who uses it recreationally for any other purpose than to get high.

I agree with you 80%? Lol. I am not sure that decriminalizing drugs that tend to result in violent behavior is a good idea (like bath salts). Otherwise, I think that if you aren’t hurting anyone else, it should be legal. Especially marijuana, because for the most part, when used in moderation, you aren’t really even hurting yourself. Another important point is the vast racial disparity in enforcement/incarceration.

•Marijuana smoke contains 50 percent to 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke.10 Using marijuana may promote cancer of the respiratory tract and disrupt the immune system.11

• Marijuana smokers have a heightened risk of lung infection.12

• Long-term use of marijuana may increase the risk of chronic cough, bronchitis, and emphysema, as well as cancer of the head, neck, and lungs.13

• Mentions of marijuana use in emergency room visits have risen 176 percent since 1994, surpassing those of heroin.14

• In 2001, marijuana was a contributing factor in more than 110,000 emergency department visits in the United States.15

• Marijuana can cause the heart rate, normally 70 to 80 beats per minute, to increase by 20 to 50 beats per minute or, in some cases, even to double.17

• In a 2003 study, researchers in England found that smoking marijuana for even less than six years causes a marked deterioriation in lung function. The study suggests that marijuana use may rob the body of antioxidants that protect cells against damage that can lead to heart disease and cancer.18

• Marijuana affects alertness, concentration, perception, coordination, and reaction time— skills that are necessary for safe driving. A roadside study of reckless drivers in Tennessee found that 33 percent of all subjects who were not under the influence of alcohol and who were tested for drugs at the scene of their arrest tested positive for marijuana.20 In a 2003 Canadian study, one in five students admitted to driving within an hour of using marijuana.21

• Marijuana users have more suicidal thoughts and are four times more likely to report symptoms of depression than people who never used the drug.22

• The British Medical Journal recently reported: “Cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of developing schizophrenia, consistent with a causal relation. This association is not explained by use of other psychoactive drugs or personality traits relating to social integration.”23